Thursday, January 30, 2014

Pantry Updates

I have had so much fun reading though other blog posts lately, I went back to read my own-- I thought I could update a couple of things especially about the pantry in my basement.

Chicken stock

Yes, it is still there, yes, I still use it all the time, yes, it is still stocked with things I have canned. I was so lucky to share a pressure canner with a friend of mine this fall, and I put one of my own on my Christmas list. I absolutely love it! Now I can have my homemade chicken stock on hand all the time, and not have to wait for things to thaw out to use. Let's face it, stock is really about using up the stuff in your fridge anyway, this just seemed like a good match. I also canned pints of chicken (boneless breasts) this fall when our Sam's Club lowered the price. I bought 2 extra packs for the month, and now I have chicken for soups and other dishes in a pinch. I never thought I would be brave enough to learn how to use the thing, but the science-y girl in me loves it. It's like the feeling you get when you use a chop saw for the first time….

Yes, the pantry is still labeled, but I have updated the labels to a chalkboard system that is working pretty well. I just painted the edges of my shelves with leftover paint and followed the instructions on some chalkboard medium. It's not perfect, as I don't love the ghost-y parts after I erase the black, but I figure I can tweak that this summer.
I have also started a few plants already in the basement. I have coleus, lace flower, and a couple other plants starting to germinate. The hardest part is keeping the storage room warm, as it has been bitterly cold around here this January (think -10+) so our little heater has been on in the evenings.

I am pretty sure I bought too many seeds…. again….

Have a good week!

Peeping out

Bing Cherries-- more next year!

The pickled carrots we can't stop eating

This is how I store the empty jars --banker's boxes from Office Depot.